High-speed cross-winding device

ABSTRACT

High-speed cross-winding apparatus with two traverse motion devices for winding elongated materials, especially continuous filaments, into packages, particularly at filament velocities exceeding 1500 m/min., and embodying a reciprocable thread guide with a spirally grooved drive roller as a first traversing device, and s second traversing device in the form of a roller with spiral, thread-guiding grooves, the thread running over the latter grooved roller in an arc of at least 60*, the first and second traverse motion devices being driven synchronously, and a drive roller for driving the package being driven independently thereof. The grooves of the latter traverse roller have variable depth for winding tension uniformity, and also temporarily accelerate and reverse stroke velocity above the stroke velocity of the first traverse device before and/or after stroke reversal. The guide groove of the roller of first traverse device has a greater pitch before and/or after stroke reversal, and an enlarged radius of stroke reversal curvature.

nited States Patent [191 Schippers et al.

[ 1 Jan. 21, 1975 HIGH-SPEED CROSS-WINDING DEVICE [75] Inventors: HeinzSchippers; Erich Lenk, both of Remscheid, Germany [73] Assignee: BarmagBarmer Maschinenfabrik Altiengesellschaft, Wuppertal, Germany [22]Filed: Sept. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 289,152

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No.170,009, Aug. 9,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 2,646,227 7/1953 Calhoun et al.242/43.2

2,664,249 12/1953 Wright 242/43 2,736,506 2/1956 Selby 242/43.22,752,100 6/1956 Stange 242/18 DD 2,763,824 9/1956 Bacheler 242/18.1 X

2,969,198 1/1961 Wolff 242/43.2 3,089,657 5/1963 Chaussy 242/433,235,191 2/1966 Engelman et a1. 242/18.1

3,516,614 6/1970 Bauer et al 242/18 DD FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS1,005,880 4/1957 Germany 242/43.2 14,153 1906 Great Britain 242/43.2

552,207 3/1943 Great Britain 242/43 728,529 4/1955 Great Britain242/43.2

Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath Attorney, Agent, or FirmJohnston,Keil, Thompson & Shurtleff [57] ABSTRACT High-speed cross-windingapparatus with two traverse motion devices for winding elongatedmaterials, especially continuous filaments, into packages, particularlyat filament velocities exceeding 1500 m/min., and embodying areciprocable thread guide with a spirally grooved drive roller as afirst traversing device, and s second traversing device in the form of aroller with spiral, thread-guiding grooves, the thread running over thelatter grooved roller in an arc of at least 60, the first and secondtraverse motion devices being driven synchronously, and a drive rollerfor driving the package being driven independently thereof. The groovesof the latter traverse roller have variable depth for winding tensionuniformity, and also temporarily accelerate and reverse stroke velocityabove the stroke velocity of the first traverse device before and/orafter stroke reversal. The guide groove of the roller of first traversedevice has a greater pitch before and/or after stroke reversal, and anenlarged radius of stroke reversal curvature.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN?! SHEEI 30F 5 FIG.5

PATENTEDJANZHBYS 3,861,607

SHEEI' 50F 5 v F IG.6 DEPTH OF DEPTH OF OROOvE OROOvE OF OF E1O4 H65 M IB E I 2 CA D %P v 4 3 v A/ F( \A' k MlDDLE END OF MIDDLE OE ROLLER OFROLLER ROLLER LE NGTH OF GROOVE HIGH-SPEED CROSS-WINDING DEVICE RELATEDAPPLICATION This application is a Continuation-in-part of our copendingapplication Ser. No. 170,009, filed Aug. 9,

THE INVENTION It is the principal objective of the present invention toprovide high-speed cross-winding devices capable of producing windingpackages of cylindrical shape with substantially uniform tension of thethread throughout the winding package even when such winding is done athigh speeds exceeding 1,500 m/min. These highspeed winding devices arecapable of producing cylindrical packages of substantially uniformthread tension throughout at high winding speeds up to about 3,000 to4,000 m/min.

According to the invention this is accomplished by guiding areciprocating first traverse device during the running of the thread ina thread guide groove of a second traverse device through its strokereversal places with a slight speed change and before and/or after itsstroke reversal with a temporary, greater speed than that maintained inthe middle range of the traverse stroke, the stroke length of the firsttraverse device being approximately equal to the stroke length betweenthe thread guide grooves.

Briefly, the invention provides (1) a first traverse device having areciprocable thread guide for guiding the thread, and (2) a secondtraverse drive comprising a roller having spiral, thread-guidinggrooves. The stroke length of the first traverse device is approximatelyequal to the distance between the stroke reversal points of the groovesof the grooved traversing roller. The apparatus has a drive for saidreciprocable thread guide. The drive reciprocates the thread guidethrough the stroke reversal zones at low deceleration and accelerationwhile imparting, before and/or after stroke rever- Sal, a velocity tosaid thread guide which is greater than the velocity thereof while ittraverses said mid-range. Preferably, the drive is a reversibly spirallygrooved roller, the groove of which at the stroke ends having be foreand/or after the stroke reversal point a pitch angle greater than thepitch angle in said mid-range and also a greater radius of curvature atsaid stroke ends, i.e., greater than would be the radius of curvature atthe stroke ends with grooves pitched at the pitch angle of themid-range, if the stroke length of said first traverse device isapproximately equal to the maximum distance between the stroke reversalpoints of the grooves of the second traverse device. I

The second traverse device is a rotating thread guide roller with threadguiding, spiral grooves located in the two zones of the traverse strokereversal. The second traverse device of this invention may be arotatable roller having spiral thread guide grooves which are locatedeither exclusively in the two traverse stroke reversal zones, may extendcontinuously in spiral fashion over the traverse length of the roller,or may be interrupted at the mid-portion of the traverse roller.Whenever the thread drops into the spiral grooves, they take over thedistribution of the thread onto the package. Both traverse devices runexcept in the vicinities of the stroke ends according to the same law ofmotion, but with a certain constant lead of the first thread guide inorder to take into account the lagof the thread between the first andsecond traverse device. Through this' constant lead it is assured thatthe thread upon entry and exit from the second rotating traverse rollerruns onward at a constant speed in the traverse direction and withoutchange of the lag or distribution angle.

During the running of the thread in the second traverse arrangement inthe vicinities of the stroke ends, the first traverse device, i.e., thethread guide, however, follows a principle of motion peculiar to it, theobjective of which is to keep as small as possible, through as small aspossible changes of velocity, the inertia forces acting on the threadguide as it reverses direction.

These small changes in velocity were hitherto possible to realize onlywhen the stroke of the thread guide is considerably smaller than thestroke of the second traverse devices, the spiral thread guide grooves.With this motion of the thread guide, it has been demonstrated that thethread, because of excessive deviation of its running direction from thethread guide groove direction, is occasionally pulled out of the threadguide groove. This occurs especially when as provided according to apreferred embodiment of said application the guide groove hasimmediately after the reversal point an increased pitch angle. Therebythere exists the problem of disturbances of the. thread distribution andof thickenings or hard zones in the winding. These can lead to unevenengagement of the friction drive roller against the package, damage tothe thread and to the slippage of the threads down end faces of thepackages.

In certain improvements of the invention of our aforesaid co-pendingapplication, the. thread guide grooves of the thread guide rollerpreferably have been extended spirally continuously over the length ofthe roller, or alternatively extend spirally from the longitudinal midportion of the roller to the respective stroke reversal zones at eachend of the roller and thereafter return spirally to a terminus pointshort of the midportion of the roller. These spiral grooves have aspecial variable depth wherein the depth increases progressively fromthe mid-portion of the roller to a maximum depth at a point precedingthe point of stroke reversal of such groove. Such maximum depthcontinues substantially constantly to the approximate stroke reversalpoint of the groove. The portion of the groove following the strokereversal point decreases at a rate of inclination more sharply than therate of increase of depth of the portion of the groove between themidpoint of the roller and the aforesaid maximum depth. After this moresharp rate of decrease in depth of the thread groove, the rate ofdecrease of depth is at a lesser value than the sharp rate of decreaseto the terminus point of the end of the groove or to mid-point of theroller, the latter being applicable to the embodiment with a continuous,uninterrupted spiral groove.

It is important to maintain a low friction between the grooves and thethread running therein and also between the cylindrical surface of theroller and the thread running thereover. The grooved roller constitutingthe second traverse device preferably runs at a peripheral velocitywhich is greater than the peripheral velocity of the drive roller whichrotates the winding package.

The drive roller, on the other hand, has a higher friction with therunning thread and with the thread on the winding package.

These differences in friction are attained by differences in thecharacter of the surface of the rollers and the walls of the grooves.The higher friction is attained by polishing the surface of the driveroller, while the surface and walls of the grooves of the traversingroller have a matte finish.

The thread runs over the grooved roller in a manner wherein the contactare between the running thread and the grooved roller is at least 60,preferably about 90. This contact arc, coupled with the independentlycontrolled peripheral velocity of the grooved roller and its mattefinish for providing a low co-efficient of friction with the threadrunning thereover, facilitates control of the uniformity of the desiredtension of the thread running off the grooved roller onto the windingpackage. The latter is driven by the higher friction drive roller at apredetermined constant peripheral velocity of the package by a separatedrive for the friction drive roller. By the capability to adjust thetension of the thread portion running from the grooved traversing rolleronto the winding package through varying the peripheral velocity of thelow friction, grooved traversing roller, the thread manufacturer orprocessor may select, depending upon the particular requirements, atension for such thread portion, which is:

l. greater than the thread tension of the portion running between thethread delivery device (e.g., a godet) and the low friction, groovedtraversing roller by using a peripheral velocity of the latter which isless than the peripheral velocity of the drive roller;

2. the same tension by using equal peripheral velocities; or

3. a lesser tension by using a greater peripheral velocity of thegrooved traversing roller.

As the thread proceeds in its traverse path from the mid-portion of thegrooved, thread-traversing roller toward the stroke reversal zone, thereis an increasing tendency toward a tension build-up in the runningthread, particularly at the stroke reversal zones. To overcome thisproblem, it is preferred, in accordance with certain embodiments of theinvention, to utilize the variable depth grooves as afore-described.Such variable depth grooves, particularly in combination with higherperipheral velocity of the grooved, threadtraversing roller than theperipheral velocity of the drive roller, and the lower friction finishof its cylindrical surface and the walls of the grooves, enable thewinding of cylindrical packages without hard ends and with substantiallyuniform tension at velocities even exceeding 3,000 m/min. Prior to thisinvention, such winding speeds could not be attained without widelyfluctuating, variable tensions of the running thread and the thread inthe wound package. As is known in the art, such variable tensions of thethread in the winding package lead to subsequent technical difficultiesin dyeing or other processing of the thread, to cylindrical packageswith hard ends, and poor laying of the superposed winding layers on thewinding package.

The controllable peripheral velocity of the grooved transverse roller,particularly one with the variable depth of the spiral crossing grooves,enables the winding at high winding speeds of 1,500 to about 4,000 m/minwithout serious tension fluctuation during the traverse stroke, whichmay reach 600 m/min. With known winding devices operating at highwinding speeds, such uncontrolled tension and tension build-up orbreak-down changes would cause the running thread to climb up out of thespiral grooves, particularly in the traverse stroke reversal zones,and/or take the path of the oppositely spiralled groove at the groovecrossing points.

An advantage of the invention lies in that it makes it possible to keepthe speed changes of the thread guide in the reversal places withinsuitable limits, but nevertheless, to adapt the thread guide stroke tothe stroke length between the thread guide grooves. Through thisadaptation of the movements of the thread guide to those of the threadguide grooves it becomes possible to construct the thread guide groovesin such a way as is required for the even distribution and, inparticular, for the exact reversal of the thread in the package edgeswithout danger that the thread guide grooves will lose the thread.

THE DRAWINGS In the following description, the invention is illustratedby preferred embodiments illustrated herein, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the traverse devices, the drive roller,and the winding package with the thread thereon;

FIG. 2 is a graphic projection of the movement of the traverse devicesand the distribution of the thread onto the package, the ordinate beingthe stroke (H) and the abscissa being the development r.,'

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the winding device of FIGS. 1,4 and 5,with the omission of the thread delivery godet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of a second embodiment of the inventionwherein the second traversing device comprises a spirally grooved rollerwith continuous, spiral crossing grooves;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of a third embodiment of the invention inwhich the second traversing device comprises a spirally grooved rollerin which the entrant portion of the respective spiral crossing groovesbegins in the longitudinal mid-portion of the roller, continues throughthe thread reversal zone near the respective ends of the roller, andterminates its reversely spiralled portion short of the longitudinalmid-portion of the roller;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the variable depth of the spiral groove of theembodiment of FIG. 5 plotted with the length of the spiral grooveillustrated in linear dimension as the abscissa and the variable depthof the groove plotted as the ordinate the diagram also showing, forpurposes of comparison, a length and depth of groove relationship ofreversing zone grooves of a less preferred form; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of an electric motor drive for the packagedrive roller and for the two traversing devices.

THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS The first traverse device is a thread guide1, which in FIG. 1 has the instantaneous direction of movement I and isdriven by the reverse thread roller 24. The second traverse device is aparallel cylinder or roller 2 with the thread guide grooves S and 6 andthe stroke ends. The roller 2 has the direction of rotation 2'. Thethread 7 coming from the delivery mechanism 8 or directly from thespinning nozzles (not shown) through the fixed thread eye 9 is guided inthe zone of the traverse stroke ends over the thread guide 1 into thegroove 5 and from this onto the winding package 3, which is driven bydrive roller 4 in the direction of rotation 3'.

In the process there occur the following angles:

The lag angle 18 is the angle formed by the thread portion betweenthread guide 1 and thread guide groove 5 or 6. The angle 19 is thatbetween thread 7 and thread guide groove 5 or 6. The distribution angle20 is that formed by the thread running onto the winding package.

The curves ll, 12, 13 of FIG. 2 represent the movement of the threadguide I, of the thread guide grooves 5 and 6 and of the run-on point 7of the thread 7 onto the package 3. In principle, all the movements,except in the zones of the stroke ends, follow the same laws of motionwith a phase displacement in time. The underlying requirement for theavoidance of irregularities in the windings with respect to hardness andthickness is the maintenance of the sharp cornered curve 13 for therun-on point 7 of the thread 7 onto the package 3 as exactly as possibleduring reversal of the thread at the reversal point 13'.

In order to bring about this exact reversal of the thread, the aforesaidapplication provided that the thread guide grooves 5 and 6 do notreverse at point 13' but, in correspondence to the curve 12, had anoverstroke 12' and thereupon an increased pitch angle 12". The threadguide 1 cannot follow the principle of motion along curve 13 in the zoneof the stroke ends, since then there would occur inadmissibly highinertial forces resulting from the sudden decelerations oraccelerations. For this reason, the thread guide 1 in a typical threadguide drive reverses with only slight delay or acceleration incorrespondence to the curve 11'. Through the overstroke 12' of thethread guide grooves 5 or 6 on the one hand, and through the gentlereversal ll 1' of the thread guide 1 on the other hand, however, theangle 19 (FIG. 1) between the running thread 7 and the thread guidegroove 5 becomes so great that the thread is easily pulled out of thegroove.

In order to avoid this, the thread guide drive according to thisinvention follows, in an example of execution, the curve 11" which isdistinguished besides by small delay of accelerations at its strokereversal points, by a stroke length increase with respect to the curve11 and an increased velocity in the zone 14 after the reversal of thestroke for the reattainment of the synchronous traverse movements of thetraverse devices 1 and 2 and of the thread in the middle stroke range17. It is likewise possible to maintain an increased velocityanalogously to 14 only in the zone before the reversal.

Another possible example uses for the thread guide drive a principle ofmovement according to curve 11". This is distinguished, besides by astill less rate of deceleration or acceleration at the stroke reversalplaces, by the increased velocities in the zones 15 and 16 before andafter stroke reversal.

In all cases, through the temporarily increased velocity of the threadguide, it becomes possible to adapt its stroke to the stroke of thesecond traverse device despite Iow acceleration or deceleration valuesin the reversal zone, in which system its stroke there can be greater orsmaller than the stroke of the thread guide grooves 5 or 6.

The temporarily increased velocities of the thread guide 1 are achieved,in the case of drive by the reverse thread roller 24, by the increasedpitch angles 21 and 22 of the reversal thread. This simultaneously makespossible an increase of the radius of curvature 23 to provide areduction of the velocity change atstroke re-- versal. One or both ofthe increased pitch angles 21 and 22 may be used at the stroke ends toprovide before and/or after the stroke reversal point a pitch anglegreater than its pitch angle in said mid-range and also a greater radiusof curvature at said stroke ends.

Referring now to FIG. 4, this embodiment is similar to the emodiment ofFIG. 1 with the exception of the character of the spiral grooves in thesecond, threadtraversing roller 30. Where applicable, like numeralsdesignate like parts of the winding apparatus. The roller 30 hasacontinuous, cross-spiral groove 31 extending substantially its entirelength. The thread 7 runs first through the reciprocating guide 1" ofthe first traverse device. The g'uides reciprocal movement of the threadleads the reciprocal movement of the thread in the continuous groove 31to provide the lag angle 18, which will lay the thread at the properangles for guidance thereof in the portion of groove 31 in which thethread is positioned at any given time. The thread reversal zones 32 and33 have a configuration similar to the corresponding thread reversalzones of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in plan view. The grooves 31, however,have a variable depth over the length thereof. The variable depth-lengthrelationship is illustrated in FIG. 6. The ordinate applicable to theembodiment of FIG. 4 is the lefthand ordinate of FIG. 6 wherein the zeroreference line indicates the surface of the roller 30 and the 1reference line indicates the depth of the groove at the middle of thedrum. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the respective cross-spiral grooves,beginning in the longi tudinal middle of the roller, deepenprogressively to a maximum depth F at point A, which precedes the pointof stroke reversal of the thread (designated by the line B) at the endof the roller. Thismaximum depth is maintained to a point immediatelypreceding at, or immediately after, the point of thread reversaldesignated by the point A. The respective points of reversal of thethread traverses are the curved apices 34 (FIG. 4).

Thereafter, the depth of the thread 31 decreases at a sharper rate ofchange or inclination than the progressive rate of change or inclinationfor the increasing depth indicated by the curve portion C of FIG. 6.This is shown in FIG. 6 by the curve portion D which has a greaterinclination than does the curve portion C. The more sharply inclinedportion D preferably continues to a point E wherein the depth of thegroove is about 20 percent of the maximum depth F of the groove,whereafter the groove further decreases in depth at a more gradual rateof decrease indicated by the curve segment G. This more gradual rate ofdecrease of depth preferably terminates at a point II laterally of thelongitudinal middle of the roller; thereafter the depth remains constantto the middle of the roller, as indicated by the curve portion J.

The length of the portion of maximum depth F of the groove, i.e.,between the points-A and A in FIG. 6, is dependent only upon thedistance L (FIGS. 3 and 4), which is the shortest distance between thepoint of contact of the thread with the thread guide traveller 1" of thefirst traverse device 1 and the point of contact with the surface of theroller 30. The length of the maximum depth of the groove from A to Aideally is approximately equal to the length (1), expressed inmilimeters 10 percent) as determined by the equation: b 0.58 1.021L.

The embodiment of FIG. is similar in most respects to the embodiments ofFIGS. 1 and 4. Where applicable, like numerals designate like parts. Theprinciple difference of the embodiment of FIG. 5 with respect to theprevious embodiments lies in the length of the spiral groove of theroller 35 constituting the second traversing device. Here the spiralgrooves 36 respectively have beginning points 37 (points of threadentry) at the longitudinal mid-portion of the roller. These grooves 36proceed spirally toward the respective ends of the roller 35 through thethread reversal zones 32 and 33, and return in opposite spirals in amanner similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4. The returning portions ofthe spiral grooves 36, however, have terminus points 38 spaced laterallyfrom the longitudinal mid-portion of the roller. As can be seen in FIG.5, the portions of the groove constituting the beginning points 37 arein alignment with the portions of the respective grooves comprising theterminus points 38. This is done to accomplish take-over of the threadtraverse motion by the beginning points 37 when the thread is in or hasjust exited from the terminus points 38.

In FIG. 6, the depth of groove has the righthand index for theembodiment of FIG. 5. Here, the respective cross-spiral grooves proceedin the illustrated depth-length relationship from the actual surface ofthe roller 35 and back to the actual surface designated by the number 0.The curve of FIG. 6 applicable to this embodiment includes all curveportions except the portion J the terminus points 38 corresponding topoint H in FIG. 6.

The other curve of FIG. 6 in dot-dash lines illustrates a less preferredgroove depth-length relationship for grooves or groove portions near andin the stroke reversal zones. The depth increases first at a nearlyconstant rate according to curve portion M to a maximum depth N, whichextends symmetrically before, across and after the stroke reversal point(line B). Thereafter, the groove depth decreases at a nearly constantrate according to curve portion P. The portion with the maximum depthmay also be proportionately shorter than illustrated in FIG. 6.

The cylindrical surface of the thread-traversing rollers 2, 30 and 35have a relatively low friction on the thread running thereover. Thisrelatively low friction is attained by a matte surface for both thecylindrical surface of the rollers and the walls of the grooves therein.Such surfaces, for example, may be the so-called matte-chromed surfacesobtained by sand blasting the surfaces a predetermined depth ofroughness and then hard-chroming this roughened surface. The depth ofroughening of such matte-chromed surfaces generally amounts to about 1.5to 40 microns, preferably about 3 to microns. The package drive roller4, on the other hand, has a higher friction with reference to therunning thread and to the thread on the package, such as may be attainedby using a highly polished chrome, cylindrical surface on this roller.

FIG. 7 illustrates a preferred form for the drive of the two threadtraverse devices and the package drive roller. The drive comprises acommon source of alternating current 40, a synchronous motor 41 fordriving the drive roller 4, a rotary transformer 42, and a synchronousvariable speed motor 43 for driving the spirally grooved roller 2, 30 or35. The cross-groove roller 24 for the first traverse device is drivensynchronously with the grooved rollers 2, 30 and/or 35, e.g., by meansof a toothed belt-pulley connecting drive 44. the synchronous motor 41drives the drive roller 4 for the package 3 at a constant speed ofrotation. The electrical energy for the synchronous motor 43 is alsosupplied by the source of alternating current 40, but via the rotarytransformer 42. The rotatable part of the latter is periodicallyoscillated by an auxiliary drive, not shown. This brings about aperiodic shift in the frequency of the current supplied to thesynchronous motor 43, the speed of rotation of which consequentlyperiodically oscillates briefly above and below its mean or averagevalue. The speed of rotation of the grooved rollers of the traversingdevices within thereby changes accordingly. This results in similarchanges in the stroke velocities imparted to the thread by thethreadtraversing devices, thereby eliminating or avoiding ribboning ormirror-image formations on the winding package.

The rate of rotation, and hence the peripheral velocity, of thethread-traversing rollers 2, 30 and/or 35 can be controlledindependently of the rate of rotation, and hence peripheral velocity, ofthe drive roller 4 by virtue of their drive by separate motors. It ispreferred, in order to attain uniform and desired thread tension in thethread package 3 and in the segment of running thread (FIG. 3), to drivethe spirally grooved roller 2 at a slightly higher peripheral velocitythan peripheral velocity of the roller 4. Furthermore it is possible tochange by controlling of the rate of rotation of the threadtraversingrollers 2, 30 and/or 35 also the distribution angle 20. The deviation ofthe peripheral velocity of the thread-traversing rollers 2, 30 and/or 35to the peripheral velocity of the drive roller can be ap proximately i17 percent without the danger that the thread is climbing out of thegrooves of the second traverse device. By the same velocity of threadand surface of the spiral grooved roller the distribution angle 20 and830 and could be varied between 7 and 10 by changing the peripheralvelocity of the spiral grooved roller. It is to be further noted fromFIG. 3 that the thread runs onto and contacts the winding package 3 at apoint 7' prior to the point of contact 52 between the cylindrical threadpackage and the surface of the drive roller 4. This pre-contact of thethread with the winding package seats the thread in the package prior toits contact with the polished, high friction surface of the drive roller4. Such high friction surface would otherwise tend to carry the runningthread on its surface beyond the point of contact 52, and result in aprogressively greater looping in the thread beyond the point of contact52, particularly in cases where the tension of the thread running ontothe package is low. In the ar rangement shown, the friction between therunning thread and the thread of the winding layers of the package isgreater than the forces tending to carry the thread on the surface ofthe roller 4 beyond the point of contact 52, so that the thread is laiduniformly and at substantially constant tension on the winding package.

The two trayerse devices and friction drive roller preferably aremounted on the same frame or unit and together are-movable as a singleunit up and down relative to the winding bobbin, its spindle or shaftand the bobbin winding thereon. The single unit in turn is verticallyoperated by a piston and cylinder unit with a diaphram seal. The pistonand cylinder unit in turn is operated under the control of a pneumatic(or hydraulic) control system to (a) regulate or control the contactpressure between the drive roller and the bobbin winding, (b) raise theunit at the end of the winding operation to allow the wound bobbin to beremoved and (c) lower the unit to drive-operating position for thebeginning of a new bobbin winding. A preferred form for this purpose andfunction is that disclosed in German Published application 39 772,published Mar. 2, 1972.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

ll. A high speed winding apparatus comprising a traverse device havingspiral grooves with stroke reversal zones for guiding the thread intraverse strokes, said traverse device being a rotatably driven,cylindrical, traverse roller with said spiral grooves in the cylindricalsurface thereof, and said spiral grooves being crossing grooves ofopposite hand respectively progressively increasing in depth from ashallowest segment at or below the surface of said roller and in thelongitudinal midportion of the roller to a point of maximum depthpreceding the point of stroke reversal of the respective grooves, whichmaximum depth continues to a point immediately before, at or immediatelyfollowing the stroke reversal point in each stroke reversal zone, andsaid crossing grooves thereafter progressively decreasing in depth at asharper rate of inclination than the inclination of the first mentionedportion of said groove, and thereafter further decreasing in depth at arate of inclination less than said sharper rate of inclination to ashallowest segment at or below the surface of said roller.

2. A high speed winding apparatus comprising a traverse device havingspiral grooves of opposite hand for guiding the thread in traversestrokes, said traverse device being a rotatably driven, cylindrical,traverse roller with spiral grooves in the cylindrical surface thereof,and the spiral grooves of said grooved traverse roller respectivelyhaving a variable depth which increases progressively from a shallowestsegment at or below the surface of said roller and in the longitudinalmidportion of said roller to a point of maximum depth preceding thepoint of stroke reversal of the respective grooves, then continues atsaid maximum depth to a point immediately preceding, at or immediatelyfollowing the point of stroke reversal, thereafter dereases in depth ata sharper rate of inclination than the rate of increase of depth of thefirst portion of said groove, and thereafter decreases in depth at arate less than said sharper inclination to a point laterally displacedfrom the longitudinal midportion of said roller.

3. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein saidspiral grooves respectively begin at the cylindrical surface of thelongitudinal midportion of said roller and end on the cylindricalsurface of said roller at said point laterally displaced from thelongitudinal midportion of said roller.

4. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said spiralgrooves being continuous, crossing grooves having their shallowestsegments at the longitudinal midportion of said roller.

5. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, embodying incombination with said traverse device another traverse device having areciprocable thread device for guiding the thread in traversing windingstrokes, the latter traverse device being the first traverse devicethrough which the thread runs, and means for reciprocably driving saidthread guide to provide reciprocable movement of the guided, runningthread in leading relationship to the reciprocable movement of thethread in said spiral grooves to provide a lag angle to lay the threadat proper angles for guidance in the respective portion of the spiralgroove in which the thread is positioned at any given time during thetraverse movement of the running thread by the reciprocating threadguide and said spiral grooves of said rotating, cylindrical, traverseroller.

6. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said strokereversal zones embodying groove portions of given pitch and anintermediary curved groove segment at the stroke reversal point, atleast one of said groove portions having an increased pitch, relative tosaid given pitch, immediately following said intermediary curved groovesegment to provide respective overstrokes to the guided thread.

7. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, embodying incombination with said traverse device another traverse device having areciprocable thread device for guiding the thread in traversing windingstrokes, the latter traverse device being the first device through whichthe thread runs, and means for reciprocably driving said thread guide toprovide reciprocable movement of the guided, running thread in lead ingrelationship to the reciprocable movement of the thread in said spiralgrooves to provide a lag angle to lay the thread at proper angles forguidance in the respective portion of the spiral groove in which thethread is positioned at any given time during the traverse movement ofthe running thread by the reciprocating thread guide and said spiralgrooves of said rotating, cylindrical, traverse roller, said threadguide being reciprocably driven by drive means embodying a cross-spiralgrooved roller, the groove of which at the stroke ends having beforeand/or after the stroke reversal point a pitch angle greater than thepitch angle in said mid-range and also a greater radius of curvature atsaid stroke ends.

8. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein thewalls of said spiral grooves have a matte finish with a depth ofroughening in the matte finish of about 1.5 to 40 microns.

9. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein theWalls of said spiral grooves and said cylindrical surface of saidrollers have a matte finish with a depth of roughening in said mattefinish of about 1.5 to 40 microns.

10. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein saiddepth of roughening is about 3 to 10 microns.

11. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein thewalls of said spiral grooves and the cylindrical surface of said rollerare matte-chromed surfaces roughened by sand blasting to a depth ofroughening of about 1.5 to 40 microns with hardchroming of the roughenedsurfaces.

12. A high speed winding apparatus comprising a first traverse devicehaving a reciprocable thread guide for guiding the thread in traversingwinding strokes, a second traverse device comprising a grooved traverseroller having spiral grooves with stroke reversal zones in turn havingstroke reversal points for guiding the thread in traverse strokes, thestroke length of said first traverse device being approximately equal tothe distance between the stroke reversal points of said grooves, thecylindrical surface of said grooved traverse roller and the walls of thegrooves therein having a matte finish with a depth of roughening ofabout 1.5-40 microns providing low friction between the thread runningover said surface and in said grooves, drive means for rotatably drivinga thread winding package at a predetermined peripheral velocity of saidpackage, and said winding package and grooved tra verse roller beingoriented to provide contact of the running thread with said groovedroller over an arc of at least about 90, first motor means for driving adrive roller for the winding package at constant peripheral velocity ofsaid roller, second motor means for driving at variable speeds saidreciprocable thread guide and said spirally grooved traverse roller insynchronization, said first motor means being a synchronous electricmotor, said second motor means being an electric motor of variable speedof rotation, and means in the circuit of said last mentioned motor forvarying the speed thereof above and below the mean rate of rotation toprevent mirror image formation of the windings on the winding package,whereby said spirally grooved traverse roller may be driven at aperipheral velocity less than, equal to, or greater than the peripheralvelocity of said drive roller for adjusting to the desired value thetension of the thread running from the traverse roller onto the windingpackage.

13. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein saiddepth of roughening is about 3 to 10 microns.

14. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein thewalls of said spiral grooves and the cylindrical surface of saidtraverse roller are mattechromed surfaces roughened by sand blasting toa depth of roughening of about 1.5 to 40 microns with hard-chroming ofthe roughened surfaces.

* k X K UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,861,607 Dated January 21, 1975 Inventor(s) Heinz schippers 1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 66, delete to the length (l),

and substitute to the length (b),

Signed and Scaled this Eleventh Day Of January 1977 [SEAL] A ttes t:

RUTH c. MASON c. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner of Parentsand Trademarks

1. A high speed winding apparatus comprising a traverse device havingspiral grooves with stroke reversal zones for guiding the thread intraverse strokes, said traverse device being a rotatably driven,cylindrical, traverse roller with said spiral grooves in the cylindricalsurface thereof, and said spiral grooves being crossing grooves ofopposite hand respectively progressively increasing in depth from ashallowest segment at or below the surface of said roller and in thelongitudinal midportion of the roller to a point of maximum depthpreceding the point of stroke reversal of the respective grooves, whichmaximum depth continues to a point immediately before, at or immediatelyfollowing the stroke reversal point in each stroke reversal zone, andsaid crossing grooves thereafter progressively decreasing in depth at asharper rate of inclination than the inclination of the first mentionedportion of said groove, and thereafter further decreasing in depth at arate of inclination less than said sharper rate of inclination to ashallowest segment at or below the surface of said roller.
 2. A highspeed winding apparatus comprising a traverse device having spiralgrooves of opposite hand for guiding the thread in traverse strokes,said traverse device being a rotatably driven, cylindrical, traverseroller with spiral grooves in the cylindrical surface thereof, and thespiral grooves of said grooved traverse roller respectively having avariable depth which increases progressively from a shallowest segmentat or below the surface of said roller and in the longitudinalmidportion of said roller to a point of maximum depth preceding thepoint of stroke reversal of the respective grooves, then continues atsaid maximum depth to a point immediately preceding, at or immediatelyfollowing the point of stroke reversal, thereafter dereases in depth ata sharper rate of inclination than the rate of increase of depth of thefirst portion of said groove, and thereafter decreases in depth at arate less than said sharper inclination to a point laterally displacedfrom the longitudinal midportion of said roller.
 3. A high speed windingapparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said spiral grooves respectivelybegin at the cylindrical surface of the longitudinal midportion of saidroller and end on the cylindrical surface of said roller at said pointlaterally displaced from the longitudinal midportion of said roller. 4.A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said spiralgrooves being continuous, crossing grooves having their shallowestsegments at the longitudinal midportion of said roller.
 5. A high speedwinding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, embodying in combination withsaid traverse device another traverse device having a reciprocablethread device for guiding the thread in traversing winding strokes, thelatter traverse device being the first traverse device through which thethread runs, and means for reciprocably driving said thread guide toprovide reciprocable movement of the guided, running thread in leadingrelationship to the reciprocable movement of the thread in said spiralgrooves to provide a lag angle to lay the thread at proper angles forguidance in the respective portion of the spiral groove in which thethread is positioned at any given time during the traverse movement ofthe running thread by the reciprocating thread guide and said spiralgrooves of said rotating, cylindrical, traverse roller.
 6. A high speedwinding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said stroke reversal zonesembodying groove portions of given pitch and an intermediary curvedgroove segment at the stroke reversal point, at least one of said grooveportions having an increased pitch, relative to said given pitch,immediately following said intermediary curved groove segment to providerespective overstrokes to the guided thread.
 7. A high speed windingapparatus as claimed in claim 1, embodying in combination with saidtraverse device another traverse device having a reciprocable threaddevice for guiding the thread in traversing winding strokes, the lattertraverse device being the first device through which the thread runs,and means for reciprocably driving said thread guide to providereciprocable movement of the guided, running thread in leadingrelationship to the reciprocable movement of the thread in said spiralgrooves to provide a lag angle to lay the thread at proper angles forguidance in the respective portion of the spiral groove in which thethread is positioned at any given time during the traverse movement ofthe running thread by the reciprocating thread guide and said spiralgrooves of said rotating, cylindrical, traverse roller, said threadguide being reciprocably driven by drive means embodying a cross-spiralgrooved roller, the groove of which at the stroke ends having beforeand/or after the stroke reversal point a pitch angle greater than thepitch angle in said mid-range and also a greater radius of curvature atsaid stroke ends.
 8. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim1 wherein the walls of said spiral grooves have a matte finish with adepth of roughening in the matte finish of about 1.5 to 40 microns.
 9. Ahigh speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the walls ofsaid spiral grooves and said cylindrical surface Of said rollers have amatte finish with a depth of roughening in said matte finish of about1.5 to 40 microns.
 10. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed inclaim 9 wherein said depth of roughening is about 3 to 10 microns.
 11. Ahigh speed winding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the walls ofsaid spiral grooves and the cylindrical surface of said roller arematte-chromed surfaces roughened by sand blasting to a depth ofroughening of about 1.5 to 40 microns with hard-chroming of theroughened surfaces.
 12. A high speed winding apparatus comprising afirst traverse device having a reciprocable thread guide for guiding thethread in traversing winding strokes, a second traverse devicecomprising a grooved traverse roller having spiral grooves with strokereversal zones in turn having stroke reversal points for guiding thethread in traverse strokes, the stroke length of said first traversedevice being approximately equal to the distance between the strokereversal points of said grooves, the cylindrical surface of said groovedtraverse roller and the walls of the grooves therein having a mattefinish with a depth of roughening of about 1.5- 40 microns providing lowfriction between the thread running over said surface and in saidgrooves, drive means for rotatably driving a thread winding package at apredetermined peripheral velocity of said package, and said windingpackage and grooved traverse roller being oriented to provide contact ofthe running thread with said grooved roller over an arc of at leastabout 90*, first motor means for driving a drive roller for the windingpackage at constant peripheral velocity of said roller, second motormeans for driving at variable speeds said reciprocable thread guide andsaid spirally grooved traverse roller in synchronization, said firstmotor means being a synchronous electric motor, said second motor meansbeing an electric motor of variable speed of rotation, and means in thecircuit of said last mentioned motor for varying the speed thereof aboveand below the mean rate of rotation to prevent mirror image formation ofthe windings on the winding package, whereby said spirally groovedtraverse roller may be driven at a peripheral velocity less than, equalto, or greater than the peripheral velocity of said drive roller foradjusting to the desired value the tension of the thread running fromthe traverse roller onto the winding package.
 13. A high speed windingapparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said depth of roughening isabout 3 to 10 microns.
 14. A high speed winding apparatus as claimed inclaim 12 wherein the walls of said spiral grooves and the cylindricalsurface of said traverse roller are matte-chromed surfaces roughened bysand blasting to a depth of roughening of about 1.5 to 40 microns withhard-chroming of the roughened surfaces.